Hoops Prospects Podcast (HPP‪)‬ Hoops Prospects

Heading into the Sweet Sixteen, the HPP crew discusses a multitude of topics, including the March Madness upsets so far, the impact of injuries, and which players have helped or hurt their NBA Draft stock.  Bunni, Jake, and Rich also make their predictions for the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Elite games and answer a couple of listener questions. 

CHAPTERS:

1.  College Hoops Notebook (2:27)
A not-so-crazy tournament?Analyzing the upsets: Furman over Virginia, Princeton over Arizona and Missouri, FDU over Purdue, Penn State over Texas A&M, Pitt over Iowa State, Michigan State over Marquette, Creighton over Baylor, and Arkansas over Kansas.  Which upsets are the biggest head-scratchers?Big East and SEC each have three teams alive, while ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12, and MWC are all down to one each, and the vaunted Big 12 is down to two.  Which conferences have surprised the most?The impact of injuries:  Oumar Ballo, Kerr Kriisa, Anthony Black, Mason Miller, Mark Mitchell, Marcus Sasser, Marcus Shaver, Norchad Omier, Wooga Poplar, Federiko Federiko, Alex Ducas, Zakai Zeigler, Jaylen Clark, Adem Bona, David Singleton, Ben Vander Plas, and Zach Freemantle.Tourney officiating, good, bad, or a little of both?Nick Saban’s rebuke of Nate Oats and AlabamaEddie Lampkin’s allegations of mistreatment at TCUCoaching changes around Division I
2.  Draft Stock Rising (1:12:34)
Amari Bailey, UCLADavonte Davis, ArkansasJordan Walsh, ArkansasMike Miles, TCURyan Kalkbrenner, CreightonRyan Nembhard, CreightonMarkquis Nowell, Kansas StateJalen Slawson, FurmanJoey Hauser, Michigan StateDylan Disu, TexasOlivier Nkamhoua, TennesseeTosan Evbuomwan, Princeton
3.  Draft Stock Falling (1:37:04)
Nick Smith, ArkansasKeyonte George, BaylorDrew Pember, UNC-AshevilleTyler Kolek, MarquetteBraden Smith, Purdue
4.  Sweet Sixteen & Elite Eight Picks (1:50:04)

5.  Mailbag (2:11:07)

The HPP Crew picks a collective bracket for the 2023 NCAA Tournament, analyzing all of the matchups until they arrive at an eventual champion.  Also, Drew Barton, Ayad Bunni, Jake Copestick, and Rich Harris make their individual Final Four selections and pick a sleeper team in each region.  

March Madness is in full swing, and the HPP crew discusses who is in and who remains on the bubble, plus they make predictions for this week’s conference championships.  The guys also release a new NBA Draft Stock Report that includes Arkansas’ Nick Smith, USC’s Boogie Ellis, UNC Asheville's Drew Pember, and NC State’s Terquavion Smith. 

CHAPTERS:

1.  College Hoops Notebook (3:08)
Next coach at Notre DameWho is in so farWho is left on the bubbleBrandon Miller not among Wooden Finalists
2.  Draft Stock Rising (30:58)
Nick Smith, ArkansasBoogie Ellis, USCDrew Pember, UNC-AshevilleDamion Baugh, TCUCameron Shelton, Loyola Marymount
3.  Draft Stock Falling (56:58)
Terquavion Smith, NC StateKhalif Battle, Temple
4.  Conference Tourney Predictions (1:11:30)
AACA-10ACCBig 12Big EastBig TenBig WestC-USAMACMWCPac-12SECWAC
5.  Mailbag (1:40:32)

Len Elmore and Nick Alzarez join HPP to discuss the many questions surrounding Alabama forward Brandon Miller and his involvement in the murder of Jamea Harris.  Elmore is a former All-American at Maryland, a 10-year NBA/ABA veteran, a graduate of Harvard Law School, and a former prosecutor in Brooklyn.  Alzarez covers Crimson Tide basketball for the Alabama Media Group on AL.com, and he has been as close to the situation as any writer in the country.  

USC’s Drew Peterson and Youngstown State’s Dwayne Cohill join the show before they head to their conference championships.  Peterson discusses the Trojans’ hot streak, his rise from a 3-star to a Pac-12 POY candidate, Brony’s recruitment, and more.  Cohill, a former 4-star, talks about his time at Dayton during the COVID season, his MVP-like season, and his upcoming matchup with Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis.  Also, Drew Barton and Doc discuss how Russell Westbrook fits in with the Clippers and how the Kyrie-Luka partnership is working.  Additionally, Bunni and Rich open up a new College Notebook, release a new NBA Draft Stock Report, and make their weekly picks. 

CHAPTERS:

1.  NBA Chat (3:33)
Russell Westbrook signed with the Clippers, and they are 0-2 with him. Meanwhile, the Lakers are 4-1 since Westbrook left. Is Russ the problem?Kyrie Irving and Luka are 1-3 together. Is it too early to say the combination won’t work?How much has Brandon Miller hurt his draft stock?
2.  College Hoops Notebook (48:40)
When making the selections for March Madness, is there too much weight given to teams in power conferences?  Should there be specific guidelines for the selection process, such as a team must be at least .500 in conference?Based on the expectations that these conferences will receive the following number of bids — Big Ten (9), Big 12 (7/8), MWC (2/3), SEC (7/8), Big East (5/6), ACC (5/7), Pac-12 (3/4), and AAC (1/2) — who’s in and who’s out?  Rutgers or Penn StateMichigan or WisconsinWest Virginia or Oklahoma StateBoise State or Utah StateMississippi State or VanderbiltAuburn or VillanovaArizona State or North CarolinaNevada or ClemsonMemphis or Texas TechConference Tourney PredictionsMissouri ValleySun Belt So-ConHorizonColonialWCC
3.  Drew Peterson Interview (1:25:03)

4.  Draft Stock Rising (1:54:07)
Jordan Hawkins, ConnecticutKobe Bufkin, MichiganAnton Watson, GonzagaWade Taylor, Texas A&MGrant Nelson, North Dakota St.
5.  Draft Stock Falling (2:13:53)
Brandon Miller, AlabamaJaden Bradley, AlabamaMaxwell Lewis, Pepperdine
6.  Dwayne Cohill Interview (2:25:57)

7.  Game Predictions (2:40:51)

Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Clemson at Virginia (13)NC State at DukeVillanova at Seton HallArkansas at Tennessee (12)San Diego State (18) at Boise StateWednesday, March 1, 2023
Xavier (19) at Providence (20)Texas (9) at TCU (22)Penn State at NorthwesternThursday, March 2, 2023Michigan at IllinoisPurdue (5) at WisconsinArizona (8) at USCThursday, March 2, 2023
Michigan at IllinoisPurdue (5) at WisconsinArizona (8) at USCSaturday, March 4, 2023
Alabama (2) at Texas A&M (24)Kansas State (11) at West VirginiaTennessee (12) at AuburnKentucky (23) at ArkansasKansas (3) at Texas (9)Pittsburgh (25) at Miami (16)Oklahoma State at Texas TechDuke at North CarolinaUConn (14) at VillanovaMississippi State at VanderbiltBoise State at Utah StateArizona (8) at UCLA (4)Arizona State at USCSunday, March 5, 2023
Maryland (21) at Penn StateIllinois at Purdue (5)Northwestern at Rutgers

The HPP crew examines the teams on the "bubble" for the NCAA Tourney, and host a pair of guests from teams that are still in the fight for a spot in March Madness — Nevada guard Kenan Blackshear and Chattanooga big man Jake Stephens.  Bunni and Rich also release a new Draft Stock Report, make their weekly game predictions, and answer listener questions in the “mailbag.”

CHAPTERS:

1,  Kenan Blackshear Interview (2:21)

2.  College Hoops Notebook (19:27)
What did you make of the NCAA Selection Committee’s top four seeds in each region?Looking at the schedules of these 10 teams that appear to be tenuously in the tournament: Florida Atlantic, Nevada, Boise State, Memphis, West Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, North Carolina, Clemson, and Wisconsin, which are mostly likely to stubble and lose their spot?Looking at the schedules of these 14 teams that appear to be on the outside, looking in (unless they win their conference tourney):  Mississippi State, USC, Oregon, Charleston, New Mexico, Utah State, Seton Hall, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Dayton, Michigan, Penn State, Texas Tech, and Drake, which are the best candidates to displace one of the teams above?3.  Jake Stephens Interview (47:04)

4.  Draft Stock Rising  (1:09:10)
Jarace Walker, HoustonIsaiah Wong, Miami (FL)Judah Mintz, SyracuseChris Livingston, KentuckyDevin Carter, ProvidenceIsaiah Stevens, Colorado State5.  Draft Stock Falling (1:32:04)
Dillon Mitchell, TexasJett Howard, MichiganJalen Wilson, Kansas6.  Game Predictions (1:46:20)

Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Baylor (9) at Kansas State (14)Tennessee (11) at Texas A&M (25)Miami (13) at Virginia TechMississippi State at MissouriAkron at ToledoMarquette (10) at Creighton (19)Iowa State (23) at Texas (8)Indiana (17) at Michigan StateWednesday, February 22, 2023
Providence (20) at UConn (18)Iowa at WisconsinNew Mexico at Boise StateThursday, February 23, 2023
Michigan at RutgersNorthwestern (21) at IllinoisFriday, February 24, 2023
Xavier (16) at Seton HallSaturday, February 25, 2023
Clemson at NC StateMichigan State at IowaArkansas at Alabama (2)Texas (8) at Baylor (9)Texas A&M (25) at Mississippi StateAuburn at KentuckyVirginia (6) at North CarolinaIndiana (17) at Purdue (5)Virginia Tech at DukeSaint Mary's (15) at Gonzaga (12)San Diego State (22) at New MexicoSunday, February 26, 2023
Northwestern (21) at MarylandWisconsin at MichiganDrake at BradleyRutgers at Penn StateMonday, February 27, 2023
Baylor (9) at Oklahoma State7.  Mailbag (2:04:43)